


When I needed a hand, I found your paw

by Marrie_L



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Muggle AU, Vet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 03:24:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8649661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marrie_L/pseuds/Marrie_L
Summary: When Remus' cat is in surgery, he is really nervous. Everything can go wrong, right? Luckily for him a handsome stranger with a black dog is there to hold his hand.





	

It was late in the afternoon when Remus stood in the veterinarian’s waiting room. His cat, Mr. Fluffy, was in the surgery room. Again. That stupid animal had eaten another sock and now the sock needed to be removed. By now the vet knew his cat by heart, but that didn’t make it less risky.

 _It’s going to be alright. You’ll have him back soon,_ Remus tried to remind himself. It didn’t calm him down. He was nervous. Sometimes he really hated his stupid cat, like when he had eaten a sock or had tried to burn himself alive when Remus had tried to use one candle. But it was his cat and he secretly loved him a lot. He was a bit neurotic, tried to kill himself too many times and usually any stranger who dared to enter Remus’ living room too, but he was Mr. Fluffy.

“He, calm down. You’re even making me nervous,” he heard a voice behind him. He hadn’t even noticed that someone had entered. Behind the man was a big black dog, who was trying to jump into the man’s arms. Of course he was way too large, but it looked funny.

“Sorry, it’s just… my cat is in surgery,” Remus explained. The stranger smiled.

“It’s okay. I would freak out too then. Come sit with me. Maybe Padfoot here can help.” He gestured to his dog, who stopped with his attempts to climb in the man’s neck and just looked very happy with himself now someone had said his name.

Maybe just sitting would help ease his nerves. At least it would give him something to do.

“Thank you,” he said, while sitting down next to the man. Now he and the man were sitting Padfoot had decided he could climb on the man’s lap.

“He, that doesn’t fit,” the man said laughing and he stroked his dog. “Bloody dog.” As an apology he looked at Remus. “He thinks he’s still as little as he used to be, or maybe that he’s a cat.”

Padfoot had found a comfortable place on the stranger’s lap and sat happily. His tail wagged on top speed. Everything  was one big adventure for him.

“So, why is he here?” Remus asked, gesturing to Padfoot. The dog noticed they were talking about him and wagged even faster.

“Oh nothing serious, just his annual vaccinations. What about your cat?”

“He ate a sock.” Everytime he said it, it sounded more stupid.

“I’m sorry,” the man said.

 “Oh, it’s alright. It hasn’t been the first time actually. That cat just likes to get himself killed I guess. But that doesn’t make the surgery less risky.”

Just then one of the vets appeared. “Mr. Black? Padfoot can come in.”

“I’ll be right back,” the man, Mr. Black, said while pushing Padfoot off his lap. “Come, boy, it’s time to behave.”

When the man disappeared, Remus started to walk again. Only ten minutes or so had passed and he knew he still had to wait a long time. Sitting alone was terrible. Any minute he expected the door to open and the vet to come to tell him he had some bad news.

That didn’t happen. The only reason the door opened, was to reveal the stranger with Padfoot, who didn’t look like he just got his vaccinations.

“No news?” he asked Remus. Remus shook his head.

“No, nothing.”

“Well, no news is good news right?”

Remus bit his lip. “I guess so?”

“I could stay a while if you want?” the stranger offered. It sounded really tempting, especially as he was pretty handsome, but Remus shook his head again. He didn’t want to be a burden.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to force Padfoot to stay here.” The man laughed.

“Trust me, Padfoot is happy here. Here is food, you know?” He winked and Remus felt him turning red, so he quickly looked away. Padfoot wagged his tail in agreement.

Just then the man’s phone rang. “Sorry, I have to take this,” he said almost apologetically. “Jamesie!” he continued in his phone. “Yes, I’m still at the vet. No no, Padfoot is okay, although he’s a bit upset he just got one treat, but you know, he’s getting fat. So… could you pick him up for me? I have… business to do. Thanks mate, you’re great. Say hello to Lily for me, okay? Bye mate, love you.” Remus couldn’t help that he overheard the whole conversation, even though it was none of his business.

“So, I’ve found a babysitter for this boy here,” the stranger then said, playing with one of Padfoot’s ears. “I have to wait anyway. I need to speak one of the vets but he’s busy. I’m Sirius by the way.” Sirius’ smile was so charming that Remus spontaneously forgot all his arguments. He shook a little bit baffled Sirius’ hand.

“I’m Remus. I really appreciate this. Thank you.”  They said down and talked about anything. By the time Padfoot’s  babysitter, another young man with dark, messy hair and glasses, showed up it felt like he had known Sirius for years.  

“Business huh?” the new man said with a nod at Remus. Once again Remus felt himself turning red. Was he just imagining that Sirius turned red too?

“Well, at least non of _your_ business,” Sirius replied. “Remus, this is James. James, Remus. His cat is in surgery.” Why did that sound as a bad excuse?

“Nice to meet you,” James said while shaking Remus’ hand. “How bad is it that you need this idiot to hold your hand?” When any other would have said it, it would have sounded rude and made Remus feel uncomfortable, but James had something in his attitude that made Remus like the guy immediately, so he didn’t care.

“Bad enough, Bambi,” Sirius answered before Remus could even open his mouth. James smacked Sirius’ head and Remus could just laugh.

“Well, in that case I will leave you and your ‘business’ alone. Stay save children,” he said while taking Padfoot and winking at Sirius.

“Fuck you, man!” Sirius shouted as James left the waiting room. Remus just heard James’ laughing answer.

“Fuck him instead!”

“Sorry about that. James is… well, he is James,” Sirius apologized. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, he’s my best mate and I love him a lot. Don’t tell him that though. But, well, he’s not very subtle sometimes.” Sirius laughed. “Change that to always.”

Remus laughed. He felt so relaxed. “I have to ask you. Bambi?”

“Long story short: he owns a freaking deer.”

“As in: a living, breathing deer?”

Sirius laughed. “Yes. He might have stolen it while being drunk, but Prongs had fallen in love with him so he kept coming back after he was returned, so James decided to buy him.”

Before Remus could answer the door opened and the vet appeared with a sleeping cat in his arms. “Mr. Lupin? I have your cat here. The surgery went well and I guess he will wake up soon.”

Remus took the sleeping cat. “You know the appointment, right? Please take him home before he actually takes my finger. You can call whenever something odd happens.”

“Wait. You can have his number and I can’t?” Sirius interrupted the vet. The vet just sighed and turned to him.

“Can you please not bother my clients, Sirius?”

Sirius pouted. “I wasn’t bothering him. Right, Remus?” It was only now that Remus noticed the similarities between the two men. They weren’t the same, but they weren’t different either. Sirius hair was longer and his grin showed misschief and fun, while the vet’s eyes reflected a calmness and professionality, but they both had that air of men who knew exactly what they could do. It was almost superiority.

“It’s almost break. We’ll talk then,” the vet answered. “Can you please leave now so I can work?”

“It’s okay. He wasn’t bothering me,” Remus quickly said. “He was actually helping me to survive the waiting.”

Sirius looked triumphantical. “Ha, told you Reg!” he said, while stomping the vet’s – Reg’s – shoulder.

“Sorry about him,” Reg said to Remus. He looked a bit more relaxed now he knew that Sirius wasn’t scaring his client. “He’s my brother and he just doesn’t know how to behave.”

The cat in Remus’ arms started to move a bit. Remus held him a bit tighter and Reg stepped back. Sirius just stood there. “Aw Reg, are you afraid of a little kitten?” he asked teasingly.

“This isn’t a little kitten,” Reg answered. “There is a reason he already goes home after such a heavy surgery. This one has almost taken my finger once. I’m not giving him the change to try again and succeed this time.”

“ _This_ is that monster?” Sirius asked him. Apparently he had heard the story of how Mr. Fluffy had attacked Reg. After that Reg had needed ten stitches.

“I guess he’s famous,” Remus said laughing. “If you will excuse me. I have to get him home before he wakes up.” Sirius looked like he wanted to say something or come with Remus. He didn’t do it, but it was that little gesture that gave Remus confidence. It had to be that. He wasn’t very brave and he would definitely never do what he did now, if he hadn’t found some confidence.

“Maybe you can tell me the long version of Bambi tomorrow?” he asked. “With a cup of coffee or something?” He looked shyly at the ground and bit his lip. He wasn’t even sure Sirius liked guys. James had been hinting to it, but maybe that was just to tease Sirius. He was probably just making a fool of himself now.

He was already turning around when he felt a hand on his arm. “Coffee sounds great,” Sirius said smiling. Still Remus wanted to flee. How had he done this? Sirius was so fucking gorgeous and he was just… well, he was just Remus.

“Shall I call you this evening?” Sirius asked as Remus opened the door, with his ca ton one arm. “Reg has your number, right?”

Remus just  nodded. “I speak you this evening then.”

The two men smiled at each other. It was more than a smile actually. It was almost a promise of a better future – or, at least, a date with some potential to become more than just one date. They both ignored Reg’s half-muttered words.

“Phone numbers are confidential.”


End file.
